When A Little One Cries
by AStephens1971
Summary: What will Brian-and the rest of the gang-do when he realizes Gus is in the hospital?


What should have been a direct flight from New York to Pittsburgh took an unexpected turn, as the plane Justin had taken needed to make an unscheduled stop. He sighed. This was the last thing _he_ needed, as the passengers were all encouraged to get off the plane and stretch their legs. Another plane would arrive shortly for the rest of the flight.

Taking his cell phone from his pocket, he started calling people. He figured as long as he was there, he might as well call people. After making the necessary calls—Jennifer, Debbie—he decided to call Melanie and Lindsay.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Lindsay, it's Justin."

"Hey, Justin, listen, I don't have time to talk. Things are going crazy around here—Gus is really sick and we're at our wit's end trying to contact people."

Gus—_sick_? "Is—is there anything I can do?"

"You're going back to Pittsburgh, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Would you find Brian and tell him?" The desperation in her voice was evident.

"Yeah, sure," Justin promised.

"Oh, thank you," Lindsay replied, sounding like a load had been taken off her back. "He's been so hard to find, and he really needs to know."

"Sure thing," Justin said, just as they announced that the new plane had arrived. As anxious as he was to find Brian just to let him know he was home to stay, this blow made him want to find him all the sooner.

When the plane landed in Pittsburgh, at the all-clear, he stretched and retrieved his carryon baggage. He had mixed feelings as he walked to the terminal. As glad as he was to be home, he knew he had a mission on his hands—one he wasn't anxious to begin.

Just as he retrieved the rest of his baggage, his cell rang. Shuffling his load, he answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sunshine, where are you?"

"I'm at the airport," Justin said, "but where have _you_ been? Lindsay's been trying to get in touch with you!"

"Just been a busy day at Kinnetik," Brian replied, "and it's been impossible to get away. What—what did she need?"

"Where are _you_?" Justin said, dodging the people still trying to get to their baggage. "I—I don't think this is a good place to talk."

"I'm at the house," Brian replied. "Is—is something wrong?"

"Yeah," Justin sighed, just as Jennifer and Debbie spotted him and came in for a hug each. "I—I'll see you there."

"Justin?" Jennifer couldn't help seeing the worried look on his face. "Is—is something wrong?"

"Yeah," Justin said, a stray tear rolling down his face. "Lindsay tells me Gus is really sick—and I was just now able to contact Brian."

"Sick?" Debbie's motherly instincts kicked in. "Do—do they know what's wrong?"

"I don't know," he said, "that's all I was able to get out of Lindsay, but Brian said he was at the house."

"Come on," Jennifer said, as they led him away, even as he bit his lip to keep from sobbing, "we'll take you."

Britin was a welcome sight, as they pulled up. Justin could see Brian peeking out the window, and he braced himself as he ran out. "My Sunshine," Brian sobbed, as they made contact, sharing a tender kiss. Tears still flowed from Justin's eyes, and he wasn't sure whether it was because he was glad to be home or because of the blow he was about to deliver.

"So," Brian said, once they finally released, "you say Lindsay's been trying to contact me?"

"Let's go in," Justin said, dreading each second that passed before he broke the news.

As they entered the great room, he was impressed. Since he'd left, it had been cleaned up, filled with furniture, until it looked absolutely fabulous. The fireplace was still the same, and even now, Justin couldn't help remembering their first time making love instead of fucking.

Getting back to the matter at hand, Justin just looked into Brian's eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Brian, I have some bad news."

"What—what is it?" His first thoughts were of Gus.

"Gus is very sick," Justin confessed, tears he never meant for Brian to see starting to fall from his eyes.

"Oh—oh, Sunshine!" Brian felt himself starting to fall forward, and Justin just caught him, and held him in his arms. How he loved his son—and he could sense that maybe Justin had grown to love him as well!

"What—what do they want me to do?" Brian wondered.

"She didn't say," Justin replied, but in his heart, he thought, _a good father would want to be by his son's side_.

"Well, there's only one thing to do," Brian said, grabbing some things. "We're going to Vancouver."


End file.
